Italy's Symphony
by Alice Meri Fox
Summary: This is a Rob/OC story to fill my posting time.
1. Chapter 1

A/n: Okay so I decided that until I get the muse back for my Indiana Jones story I'm going to post some of my other things, starting with the movie _The Italian Job_ then maybe_ Galaxy Quest_.

The breeze of the Italian air flowed through her long blond hair. The day was a good day. She was focused and ready for the job, sitting on the boat with Lyle waiting for Handsome Rob. She checked the boat to see if it was ready for the getaway while Lyle was doing something on his computer behind her. Left Ear was reading book on da Vinci on shore. She just finished the check list and looked up to the beautiful city of Venice. It was a nice day. The sun was high the skies were clear it was beautiful.

"You ready for this?" An Englishman's voice brought her out of her daydreaming.

Speeding Susie looked over to Handsome Rob as he pulled Left Ear onto the boat. "Wind's pushing from the west a bit hard so be careful when taking the hairpin right. Cross currents are perfect for the underwater work, just skip over them as best you can."

"You're just glad it's not you down there," Left Ear said knowingly as she steered the boat to where Charlie and John were waiting for them.

"Damn straight I am," was her reply.

They arrived at the meeting dock to see Charlie and John. As soon as the boat stopped they got on.

"We set?" Charlie asked Lyle.

"Yeah I've enhanced the viewing matrix to track both the Cartesian coordinates and three altitude angles, the yaw, pitch and roll to give us the exact position an orientation of our baby." Lyle said.

"Were in Italy, speak English." Left Ear said.

"Speed, how's the boat?" Charlie asked turning to her.

"Ship shape," Speed said with a smile; he smiled back. Susie had known Charlie since he was in grade school and were basically family to each other.

"Steve, how we looking?" Charlie said into his headset.

"Papa took the boat work at 8:15, so the garage is empty. Mama left with daughter at 8:30 for preschool, as usual. So for the next forty-five minutes, we own this place gentleman."

"Still no word from the garbage men?" John said.

"Hey, who got you the beekeepers in Budapest? They'll be there. I trust these guys." Steve sounded slightly offended.

"Steve how many times do I have to tell you? I trust everyone. I just don't trust the devil inside them." John fidgeted as he said his famous words.

Then they started the leisurely boat ride to the destination. Speed looked around them as she drove cautiously. Venice was magnificently beautiful. Charlie gave Lyle the nod to open the gate and she backed in like she belonged there as the guys looked for any observers.

"We're in." Charlie said to Steve.

"Just tell me where to paint."

They all got off the boat and began their mini jobs. Speed tied the boat to the dock with the help of Charlie.

"Your men are still not in position?" John said to Steve. John walked around and Speed couldn't really care what he was saying. She helped grab some of the materials from Handsome as John looked over at Charlie. Hearing John say something about aborting the mission drew her attention to Charlie.

"I'm sorry, John, but I think that's Charlie's call now."

"Our baby's being taken out of here tonight. This is our only shot at it." Lyle said.

"Keep going?" Charlie asked John.

"It's up to you, kid." John said.

"It's a go." Charlie said with a smile and they all got back to work. Lyle was giving Steve directions on where to paint the explosives. Speed didn't pay attention as she started to get the scuba gear ready for John, Charlie, and Left Ear.

"You need some help, Handsome," she asked when she finished as he was putting together the fake safe.

"Hold this end up while I get the bottom together?" They completed it and were ready. Minutes later the safe came crashing down from the ceiling and Handsome put the boat in drive. They were off.

Lyle was folding the protective covering around the "safe" and they all glanced up to see some very angry Italians yelling at them. Once the fake safe was secure Lyle stood behind Handsome holding on to the boat while Speed sat behind the safe. This was one of the rushes Speed loved. They heard the whirling of an engine and looked behind them and saw the Italians were following them close behind.

"All right Charlie someone just called it in. The police boat is headed your way." Lyle said. Handsome took Speed's advice on the right hairpin turn and skimming on top of the cross currents. They looked to the side as the Italians came alongside them. One had a gun and they all sucked in their breath; but thankfully, the driver wasn't paying attention and ran up another boat, soaring through the air before landing on a vegetable sellers boat. Lyle laughed as Speed and Handsome smirked at the driver's stupidity.

They came to a fork in the river and almost ran into another boat of the Italians. They got ahead of them and sped faster through the streets until they finally saw the garbage men waiting.

Handsome turned right in front of the garbage boat just before they started moving to block off their escape. The three of them looked back and saw the Italians stuck on the garbage scow. They smiled and laughed as they sped away to the meeting place.


	2. Chapter 2

They all stood around on the side of the road. "Hey guys come here." John said and they gathered around each other, each one with their own bottles of wine.

"I want to propose a toast. To us." John said. They lifted their bottles and clinked them together before taking a gulp.

"And I want to propose a toast to Charlie because we just stole $35 million worth of gold without even holding a gun, because he planned this down to a 'T.' Nobody else could have done that. Nobody." John said.

"Charlie!" They cheered toasting their bottles again and taking a gulp.

"Thank you." Charlie said.

"So come on gentlemen. Shopping list," Left started.

"Who's doing what? Spare no dirty details." Susie said finishing her friends' thoughts.

"Come on, you guys. Take a lesson from an old man, don't spend it. Invest." John said.

"In what?" Left asked while laughing.

"In gold." John said and they laughed.

"Let's figure out how to get out of here first, all right?" Charlie said as John walked away and he soon followed.

"What are you getting, Rob?" Left asked.

"I don't know. There is a lot of things you can buy with a lot of money. You know I am just thinking about naked girls in leather seats."

"When aren't you thinking of that?" Susie asked and took a sip from her bottle. He nodded.

"Obviously. See?" Left said.

"Suppose I get the Aston Martin Vanquish?" Rob said. Susie sucked in her breath.

"What?" Rob said.

"Thief! That's my car."

"There is not a lot a girl won't do on the passenger seat of one of those things." Rob said.

"It's the same with guys."

"I'm going to get a NAD T770 digital decoder with a 70-watt amp and Burr Brown DACs." Lyle said and they all looked at him like he was nuts. "It's a big stereo. Speakers so loud they blow woman's clothes off." Lyle added.

"Now you're talking." Rob said clinking their bottles together.

"35 million dollars and you can't get more creative than that man? What about you, Sue?" Left asked her next.

"Vanquish and vanish. Get me my blue baby and get the hell out." She said, then added, "I'm thinking England, maybe." There was a look shared between her and Handsome. "What about you Left Ear?"

"I'm going to Andalusia, south of Spain right there. Get me a big house, get me a library full of first editions. Get a room for my shoes. What about you Steve?" Left said.

"I don't know. I haven't decided yet." Steve said.

"You haven't decided yet? Come on man is it the mountain air, just...? " Left said.

"I like what you said. I'll take one of each of yours." Steve said.

"Well, well, two of everything for Steve then." Left said and they clinked bottles together again and laughed. They started to walk to the car.

"Hey! Let's go- I'm freezing my ass off." Steve said as the others got into the van.

XXXXX

"You should've seen Rob behind the wheel of that boat. He was like Don Johnson." Lyle said as they started driving over a tall bridge over an icy river into Austria.

"Oi, yeah, from Brixton." Left said teasingly.

"What the hell do you guys know about Brixton?" Rob sounded like he was going to go into a long story that they had heard time and time again.

"Aw, shut it, Handsome," Susie interrupted from behind him. "We've all heard about how great Brixton is, so stow it."

"Look at this idiot right in the middle of the road," Rob said noticing a truck coming up to them. Speed turned around and saw there was someone behind them. The car in front of them stopped and Handsome hit the brakes.

"They're after the gold," Speed muttered to John, who also realized what was going on.

"Who the hell are these guys?" Handsome said as the men in the other cars got out. Steve pulled a gun out and pointed it at Handsome's head. The guys that were following us opened the back and started to grab the gold.

"Take your hands off the wheel." Steve said to Handsome.

"Steve." Charlie said.

"Don't even think about it just do it." Steve continued.

John opened the side door, but Steve caught on and jumped out of the passenger's seat to face John with the gun.

"No, no, no, no, John." Steve said.

"Steve, what the hell are you doing?" Charlie yelled.

"I made a few plans of my own." Steve said.

"There is nowhere you can go where we won't find you, Steve. You know that." John said.

"I think that's probably right, John." Steve said as he shot John twice in the chest.

We all started screaming.

"DRIVE! DRIVE! DRIVE!" Speed's was the only voice Handsome heard and hit the gas, driving off the bridge, through the ice, and into the water.

The van started filling with water as soon as they hit the surface, like a million frozen needles at once. One could still hear gun shots but as the car filled up they soon became muffled. Charlie swam behind the back seat and got the scuba gear. There was only one air tank left, so everyone took turns breathing, one by one. Bullets still rained down into the water and they muffled grunts and yells as they rained closer, one hitting Speed in the leg. Johns' body floated up to the top so Steve would think they were dead and leave.

When they heard the muffled noise of the cars driving away one by one they all floated to the top. Lyle helped Susie swim to the shore as Charlie went after John's body.

XXXXX

Charlie was holding John in his lap, crying for the loss. Rob helped Susie tie up her leg where she'd been shot and walked over to Charlie. "Charlie, we have to go," he said comfortingly. Charlie looked up at him with a tear streaked face and nodded.

They left the body there. There was no way they could bring him back to America. Rob pulled Susie to her feet and then helped her limp alongside the rest of the guys.

"We're gonna need to find Steve once we get back to the states," Charlie said as they walked into a hotel in St. Anton.

"First, y'all need to strip out of those wet clothes and get under some lukewarm water," Speed said authoritivly, her natural Southern accent shining through. "Will not have y'all getting sick and dying before we steal that gold back."

Charlie sighed and looked at her leg. "First we need to get you to the hospital to get that leg looked at."

"Showers first, my leg second, and no more arguing. Doctors' orders," Susie looked at him, daring him to talk back to her.

Charlie opened his mouth to tell her otherwise but Left cut in. "You're gonna go against our Southern Medic?"

Charlie bit back his comment with a grumble and handed out key cards.


	3. Chapter 3

A/n: Come on guys! Gimmie some feed back. This is three in a week!

X One Year Later X

Stella drove her Mini Cooper to the meeting place where everyone else should have been. "That was quick." Charlie let out a sigh of reliefs as he got out of the Mini.

"Where are they?"

Charlie walked up to and sat on the hood of the Mini. "We're a little early. I didn't expect to get here quite that fast."

Stella smirked at him and turned her head as she heard a motorcycle putter through the empty construction site. "Lyle," Charlie explained before she could ask. "Computer genius. You know, he's who really invented Napster? At least that's how Lyle tells it. Says Shawn Fanning was his roommate in collage and stole his idea. Think that's his first time ridding that bike though." Lyle nodded his head in hello before he dismounted his bike, the bike falling onto its side before he could fully get away. "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

A brown station wagon pulled up next. "That's Left Ear. Demolitions and Explosives. When he was ten he put too many M-80's in the toilet bowel. Lost the hearing in his right ear. Been blowing' up stuff ever since."

A nicer black car parked close to the Mini. "Handsome Rob. Premiere wheel man. Once drove all the way from Los Angeles just so he could set the record for the longest freeway chase. You know, he got 110 love letters delivered to his jail cell from women who saw him on the news.

Another motorcycle pulled up next to Lyle's and Susie jumped off and unzipped the leather jacket she was wearing. "Speeding Susie. Medic, psychiatrist, wheel woman, errand woman when we really need her to be. She and Rob have something going on between them but they deny it and none of us can get a clear guess as to if it's true or not."

"And you?" Stella turned to him. "I never heard how you got your start."

"Me? Well I've been a thief since I had baby teeth."

Susie pulled her helmet off and took her long hair out of its ponytail as she walked over. "Charles," she said hugging him first.

Stella stood to the side as the five of them reunited with hugs and fond nicknames. "Guys, this is Stella Bridger."

There was an awkward silence as the three men looked at Stella in remembrance of John. Susie made the change. "I told you we needed another woman on the team."

Charlie smiled and looked to Left. "Phones?"

"Yeah," Left opened the safe case he was holding. "They're all fresh and clean. I got internal chips in them. Please change them twice a day. We will get heat online." He passed out the phones.

"ID's?" Charlie turned to Rob who passed them out.

"'James Hymen?' Come on man, one time, give me a cool name," Lyle complained.

"140 pounds? Try 165," Left said to Rob.

"Try lifting some weights," Rob responded.

"Try lifting up these." Left grabbed his manhood as everyone went to their separate vehicles.

"Hey," Charlie interrupted their banter. "We leave tomorrow alright?"

"Hey Charlie?" They all turned to Lyle who was looking helpless beside his bike.

"Handsome, help him with his bike."

"Yeah, help Knievel set up for his next jump," Left teased as Rob pulled the bike up.

XXXXX

Everyone arrived in Los Angeles and they quickly got rooms and unpacked. Later that night they met up on the roof of the hotel. They were all there waiting for Stella. "Man out of all the places for a thief to hide, this joker picked Hollywood," Left complained to the group. "He's a punk, but he ain't stupid."

"All right, we need to figure out a way to get into Steve's house and make a video blueprint of the interior." Charlie took charge of the group. "I want audio surveillance on his phone."

"Oh, yeah, I've been wanting to try something," Lyle spoke up. "I crack into the phone company's remote monitoring system, and fool it into thinking it's a legal tap online. Just reroute the digital copies of the calls to our own listening post. I've been doing it to my ex for years."

"How long?" Lyle looked uncomfortable with the question. "No- how long will it take? Not how long have you been doing it to your ex."

Lyle looked relieved. "I'll burn through the night; I'll have it running by morning."

The roof top door closed and Stella walked over to the group. "Sorry I'm late."

"We got to work on getting Steve out of the house. Stella, how much time do you need with the Worthington?"

"Five minutes, flat," she said confidently.

"Don't get cocky young lady," Rob commented from behind Charlie, who turned around to face him and Susie.

"It's not the same as opening a safe for the police," Susie put in to her.

"The perspiration on your fingertips, your heart pounding in your ears... Whole different ball game." Rob attempted to place her in reality.

"I appreciate the concern. I'll be fine," she countered quickly.

"Look, just remember, this is all the easy part, okay? It's the getaway that can get us caught," Charlie took charge again.

"So what's the sketch?" Left was being unusually quiet.

"We drive to Union Station. The car goes right onto the train with us. We need to know exactly how long it's going to take to get from Steve's house to Union Station." Charlie said the last part and turned to Rob and Susie. They both shrugged as if it were obvious. " Okay that's it. Have a goodnight."

Before they all could get too far away Susie called to them, "7:00 am physicals, don't be late."

"Physicals?" Stella questioned Left as they left.

"Yeah, she makes us do quick little physicals so she can monitor our health during the operation. Charlie thought it was a good idea once, and now it's just routine." Left sighed and continued, "I think it's just one more way she can mother hen us."


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you to ILUvOdie for being the first review. Heres the next one for ya!

* * *

The next day found everyone cleared for the heist and Rob and Susie out in traffic. Rob was in his car with a stopwatch and map on his passenger seat while Susie was astride her motorcycle with a stopwatch around her neck and map in her side compartment.

Though she was on her bike, Susie was behind Rob as they stopped at a stop light on Park View. The light turned to a green arrow and Susie heard Rob yell to the guy in front of him, "Hey, it's a green!"

She revved her engine, and moved around both cars to clear the intersection so she wouldn't have to wait, all the while laughing at Rob's misfortune.

Later that afternoon everyone met up on the roof. "It's either bad traffic, peak traffic, or slit-your-wrists traffic," Rob told Charlie.

"You know, five people died from smoking in between traffic lights today," Susie put in, rubbing her neck to get the tension out.

"You know, they do have the Metrorail, guys. You could always use that," Left commented.

"That'd be ideal for carrying a ton of gold, wouldn't it, genius?" Rob smarted back at him.

"Boys," Susie cautioned them in a motherly tone.

"What's your guesstimate," Charlie asked Rob.

"Last 20 times I've done the journey, you've got an average of 32 and a top time of 50," Rob said sitting down.

"But if we had green lights all the way, we could do it in 14 minutes," Susie added putting her head on Charlie's shoulder.

"Wait, you couldn't get through traffic?" Stella mocked Rob.

"I could," Susie said pulling her head up. "Rob was the one who wanted to play with the actor."

Rob glared at the both of them and they just smiled and looked away.

"We could do anything with green lights all the way," Left prompted.

"Lyle?" Charlie turned to him.

"Lyle," Left copied.

Lyle shook his head and scoffed, "I'll see what I can do."

XXXXX

A few days later they were all gathered in Lyle's van that they had posted out by Steve's place. Lyle was listening to an outgoing call as Charlie and Stella got in from getting the service truck. "Guard just called the cable company."

"What time is the appointment?" Charlie asked handing a phone to Speed so she could cancel the appointment with the cable company.

"Thursday between 9 and 3."

Charlie dialed the guard as Speed called the company. When they were finished they put their phones away as Handsome handed Stella the paperwork. "Here's all the paper work you need. Just get him to sign and date at the bottom."

"Let's check out the camera." Charlie took the pin camera from Lyle. "Stella, you'll be going patriotic today. Make sure you walk slowly or the image will streak."

He handed the pin back to Lyle, who attempted to pin it on her. "Ow!"

"Sorry," Lyle said stopping and handing the pin to Charlie again. " I couldn't pin the corsage on my prom date either."

"But you had a prom date?" Handsome looked almost skeptical.

"It was his cousin," Left Ear put in.

Speed spoke up next. "There's cable lines in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, and the cable modem on the computer in the office."

"You need to locate the safe in the office." Charlie added as he pinned the camera onto Stella's shirt. She nodded.

"Just want you to know, I think you're very brave going in there," Handsome said. "I know it won't be easy."

"I second that," Left Ear said.

"Same," Speed said quietly.

Stella smiled and laughed under her breath. "It's gonna be fine." Charlie chuckled lightly. "What?"

"You know what fine stands for? Freaked out, Insecure..."

"Neurotic, and Emotional," Stella finished with him.

Charlie pulled back after he put the pin in place. "You'll be great."

Stella exited the car and minuets later she was pulling up to Steve's front door. They all saw the steel blue Aston Martin sitting closest to the house. "Aston Martin Vanquish." Handsome's voice was fill with hate and envy. "Looks like that bastard took my car." Speed put her hand on his shoulder knowing Steve was three for four: her vanishing act, Left's house, and now Rob's Vanquish.

They listened as Stella walked through the house and gave out a sigh when she opened a closet door and found the safe. "There we go," Charlie said. "There's our baby. We got him."

Stella moved to the modem in the office. "Look at that." Lyle sounded disbelieved. "That's my NAD T770. That's... That's my stereo."

"Don't worry boys. We're gonna take it all from him," Speed said with a slight southern twang in her voice.

"He's hitting on her," Charlie said surprised.

"You know what, end this shit right now. I'm going to blow this shit right off the mountain right now." Left Ear said grabbing some of the things he would need and opening the door to get out.

"No, no, no. No, no, hey, hey, hey," Charlie said pulling him back inside. After a few moments Charlie spoke the Left Ear again. "Go check the box." Left Ear exited the van and walked over to the cable box where he waited until Charlie gave him the signal to reconnect the line.

After it was all said and done Stella sat in the service truck and Charlie and Susie went up to the window. "You okay Stella?" Susie placed her hand gently on Stella's arm.

"Yeah," Stella breathed as her hands continued to grip and un grip the steering wheel. "He touched my hand. Came on to me." One of her hands slid back to grab onto Susie's for support as she looked to Charlie. "Hey, at least I... I created a window of opportunity, right?"

The three of them chuckled and Charlie said, "when he goes out Friday night, we go the time he realizes you've stood him up, we'll be long gone with that gold."

"Yeah." Stella gripped Susie's hand and then let go.

"Stella, you and me are going to take a slight detour on the way back to the hotel," Susie said as she walked around the front of the truck.

"Reason why?" Charlie smiled at the woman who was practically his older sister, if not, mother.

"Simple, we need a drink and you aren't coming." Stella laughed and drove away as Charlie walked back into Lyle's van with an amused smirk on his face.


	5. Chapter 5

Later that afternoon everyone was hanging out in Charlie's room at the hotel. The girls were on the bed; Stella, looking over plans for the safe and Susie, knitting. Both had a glass of coffee within reach. Left and Rob sat at a table, near Charlie, who was looking over storage and getaway plans, playing poker, while Lyle worked on the blueprint of Steve's house.

"Make sure you shuffle them cards this time, Left," Rob said as he refilled his and Left Ear's coffee cups and returned to his seat.

"Hey, Lyle," Charlie called across the room. "What's the distance between the front door and the vault?"

"Don't deal when my back is turned," Rob said to Left.

"You've got that loser's paranoia," Left said to him as he picked up his own cards.

"Lyle!"

"He only answers to The Napster now, Charlie," Rob said Sitting back in his chair and crossing his legs.

Charlie sighed and said, "No. I'm not calling you The Napster."

"Why not, you call him Left Ear," Lyle said obviously.

"Well, I am." Left defended himself.

"And her, Speeding Susie."

"'Cause she is," Rob defended Susie.

"And him, Handsome Rob."

"Well, that's because he is Handsome Rob," Charlie said, getting annoyed.

"Well, you can call me The Napster."

"Come on, they were at the same college at the same time," Rob said to Charlie, placing his bet on the table.

"Why are you encouraging this?"

"It is a verifiable fact!" Lyle said pointedly. "He was my roommate, he stole my ideas. I am The Napster."

"Calm down a little there, Lyle. Negative emotions are going to weigh you down until you're road kill," Susie said as she finished off the scarf she was making and threw it around his neck.

"All right, all right," Charlie said as he stood up. He walked over to where Lyle was sitting and continued. "What is the distance between the front door and the vault, Napster?"

Left laughed in the background and Lyle answered, "it's farther than you want to carry it."

"Yeah, but, so, how do we get the gold from the vault to the getaway car," Stella asked as she pointed to a color for Susie.

"How wide is the hallway... Napster?" Charlie asked as if he were still annoyed with Lyle.

Lyle pressed some keys on the computer. "6 feet."

Charlie looked over Lyle to Stella and she grinned.

XXXXX

Charlie and Rob finished packing Stella's Mini Cooper with weights and shut the back hatch. "Okay, you've got your gold," Rob told Stella.

She sped through the course that Lyle had told them how to set up and threw the keys to Rob when she was done.

Susie looked over the car and Charlie spoke first. "We need more cars to handle the weight."

"Looks like I'm going to need some help with the custom work, too," Rob commented. "I know a man for the job."

Left, Lyle, and Stella "Susie, how many more, do you think?"

"I'd say at least two more Charlie," Susie said looking at the back end where a piece of the bumper had broken off when Stella drove down the flight of stairs. "A casing for storing the gold should be in order, too, for the inside. Pack it, drive it, then roll it like luggage when we get to the train." Charlie nodded in agreement. "I have a blue Mini in a storage unit not far from here. I can go get it."

"Do it. Be back here as soon as you can. I'm going to go get us another one," Charlie said and she quickly ran to her bike to ride out of the warehouse they were renting. Charlie turned to Rob. "Get your mechanic here as fast as possible."

XXXXX

Later that day Susie had her blue Mini parked next to Stella's red one and the white extra one that Charlie had gotten on Susie's other side. Rob pulled into the warehouse with his mechanic and went over to Charlie and Lyle. "Charlie, this is Wrench."

"Hey, what's up, man?" Wrench shook Charlie's hand.

"Rob tells me you got real talent. We need some body work done." Charlie led the way over to the Minis and said, "We need to pack up to 2,700 pounds of cargo in these Minis with enough suspension and horsepower to outrun anything chasing us."

"2,700 pounds of what?"

"Of whatever," Charlie said sharply.

Wrench shrugged. "So, what do I get out of this mystery deal, man?"

"$10,000"

Wrench nodded his head and looked over the Minis, inspecting them. "All right."


	6. Chapter 6

Next day Stella was coming back from lunch run with Susie and she passed by Wrench as he was working on Susie's car. "Oh, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey." he lifted his welding mask and stepped over to her quickly. "We didn't get a chance to meet yet." He held his hand out to her. "Wrench."

Stella picked up a sandwich from her try and put it in his hand. "Ham and cheese," she said before going over to Rob

"Oh. Oh, that's cold. Damn that's cold. Mmm," he said wishfully.

"Leave Susie's here," Rob said quietly to Stella as she handed him his sandwich.

Stella said nothing but did as asked and walked away. Minutes later Susie walked over, handed Wrench a bottle of water, and then went over and sat on Rob's tool cart. "Hello," she said unwrapping her sandwich.

"Just wanted to ask how she was."

"She's fine. In Rush to see Soleil. Going to be taught by them a bit, too."

"Oh I bet she's going to have a lot of fun with that," Rob said going back to work.

"The Mopsey says she is so far. She's going to be there a month. Had to electronically sign and call her teacher so she could go."

"Well, I think she's really lucky."

"Well, if it wasn't for Steve I'd be able to be there with her," Susie sighed sadly.

Rob noticed her frown and put down his tools. Stepping in between her knees he gently grabbed her chin. "Hey, just because you're not there all the time doesn't mean she doesn't love you."

"I still wish I was around more. I can't have The Mopsey looking out for her every time I'm gone."

XXXXX

Charlie walked by the shelves that held most of the parts on them. "What are those," he asked Wrench who was walking beside him.

"Unnecessary engine parts. I lost your smog controls, and 200 pounds of body fat." Wrench shut the hood of Stella's car. "You got yourself a sweet ride now, Charlie."

Charlie rounded Susie, Stella, Left, and Rob up and the five of them drove out to a remote area, where no one was and drove them around for a while. They tested how fast they could go, what they could do, and how much they could stand. Stella was driving her Mini and Susie was driving hers. Rob took the white one and Left was his co-pilot as he would be riding with them as they needed as many hands they could. Charlie would be in Susie's passenger seat to make sure everything went smoothly.

"You know what I am thinking about right now? The look on Steve's face." Stella said into her head set and everyone chuckled in agreement.

After the sun set they drove back to the garage and parked the cars for the night.

"Hey, Left," Charlie called. "Come on, we're going to see Skinny Pete. The rest of you, get some sleep. Two days we get our gold back.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Everyone was in the warehouse waiting. They were all standing near Lyle's computer. Charlie walked over to Lyle who was listening to an outgoing call from the phone tap. "Steve just called to confirm his 8:00 reservation at the Water Grill." Lyle said putting the headset down on the counter.

"OK lets go over it one more time." Charlie said looking at Left first.

"Gas the guards, doors open 8:15," Left said.

"Safe popped by 8:25," Stella said.

"Loaded by 8:35," Charlie said then looked at Susie to continue.

"Out the door by 8:45," Susie said.

"Straight to Union Station," Rob finished.

"Only green lights on your route, the rest of the city's red. Cops are stuck in traffic like everyone else," Lyle said with a small smile on his face.

"Train leaves at 10. Cars have to be in the carrier by 9:30. Timing's got to be dead on. Let's get ready." Charlie said and everyone left to get themselves ready for the night ahead.


	7. Chapter 7

That night they took off to Steve's where they waited as Lyle watched Steve on a nearby road leaving his house. He got into the Aston Martin and drove off. "Wow that is a nice car. Sorry, Rob, Sue. Coast is clear guys." Lyle said. They immediately took off for the house. The plan was working perfectly so far.

"This is it guys. Moment of truth." Charlie said as Speed quickly drove around the twisting road.. They drove up and were almost to the driveway when they saw a bunch of people standing around in the middle of the road and lights on the opposite side of Steve's house.

"What the hell is this?" Charlie said as Speed had to stop. "Shit! Steve's neighbor's throwing a party."

A valet knocked on Speeds window and she rolled his it down to speak with the man. "Are you here for the, uh, Baker party, mam?

"No," she said shortly and rolled the window back up.

"We're not blowing any gates tonight, guys. Too many witnesses. Stella," Charlie said as he looked through the back window.

"I know, I know. I'm late for my date," she said as she took her hair down.

"Yeah and you got to be charming. You'll need him to ask you out again. Sorry." Speed said as the people standing in the road moved out of the way, and she speed away.

XXXXX

The team stood in secluded corners and watched on as Stella was on her date with Steve. And bits and pieces of their conversation reached their ears.

"It's the devil inside them I don't trust," Stella said not thinking about it and Steve froze.

"Shit." Susie said under her breath and looked to Charlie, who was barley in her eye sight, and saw that he had heard her say it too. They kept watch until Stella tipped the empty bottle of wine at their table. The sign that she was in trouble and they all came out of their hiding spots.

Charlie, Rob and Susie walked up to the table behind Stella, who stood up. Susie took her wrist and looked it over to see if there was anything wrong with it as Charlie spoke. "She's with us."

"Gang's all here." Steve said looking around to see that he was surrounded. "Except for the half pint," he said looking at Susie who stiffened.

"How do you know about her," she asked in a clipped tone.

"I think the question is why anyone else doesn't know what I'm talking about, Susan," Steve said smiling cruelly. "She's in London, right? With her Grandparents?"

"You don't know where she is." Susie, dropped Stella's hand and put her balled fists to her side. Rob grabbed her from behind and pulled her to him in a comforting manner.

"You know the only thing worse than a thief, Bendel," Stella asked drawing Steve's attention back to her. "A coward."

"Then you should have seen the way your daddy begged for his life."

Stella reached across the table to get to Steve but Susie and Charlie held her back. "It's not worth it," Charlie said to her.

"Put a leash on your cat," Steve said to Charlie as Susie and Rob took her out of the restaurant. Susie hissed at him very much like a house cat as she passed him.

Everyone waited outside as Charlie finished with Steve. Left and Lyle were giving Susie questioning looks as she held Stella who was close to tears. Susie saw their looks and said, "I'll explain later." She looked over to Stella. "Come on, let's get you back to the hotel and into some different clothes."

Stella nodded and allowed Susie to pull her to her Mini and drive her away without a word to the guys.


	8. Chapter 8

Every one gathered in Charlie's room, each one had their own cup of coffee. Everyone was seated in a circle. Susie took a sip of her drink and sighed. "Charlie," she began. "I've known you since you were in fifth grade. You know that after high school I got married and ten years later I got divorced." She took another sip. "what you don't know is that a week after the divorce, Paul stopped by my apartment. Or, that, two months later I found out I was pregnant with his child."

"Susie," Charlie started.

"She's five years old. Her name is Amanda. She looks like me. She's a ballet dancer." Susie reached under her shirt to retrieve a picture and pass it to Charlie.

"Why did you never tell us?" Left sounded a bit offended.

"I was going to after the Italian job. I hinted at it when we said what we were going to do with our money. We live in London, and when I'm on a job her father's mother takes care of her. She's in Russia right now with her teacher and nine other students in the dance academy. They're being taught some by the Cirque de Soleil."

"How did Steve find out about her?" Charlie passed the picture around to the others of a little girl that looked like her mother at a birthday party.

"I don't know." Susie shook her head. "I never told anyone. Rob found out by accident two years ago."

"Rob, you knew," Charlie turned to him.

Rob nodded. "Amanda called and we all thought Susan was sick. I caught her talking on her phone and asked straight up."

Charlie looked to Susie in disbelief. "You know better than any that if you ask me straight, I will tell all you ask for. I'm a friggin fortune cookie."


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning everyone stood in the warehouse waiting for news from Lyle as he listened to another outgoing call from Steve's house.

"There'll be nothing left of that if you keep rubbing it," Rob said to Stella who was cleaning a wrench on top of the stair simulation. Rob was standing next to her with a cup of coffee near the hand he was holding himself up with and Susie in his free arm. Susie was dozing on Rob's shoulder, Left was smoking, and Charlie was shooting hoops. They were all standing around waiting for Lyle to tell them what the call was about.

"Charlie!" Lyle called from his listening post in his van. He jumped out and continued. "He's flying the coop."

"When?" Rob asked.

"His security guard called for a private helicopter at 4:00 PM. There's an armored car service coming to his house at 5:00. There is a cargo plane scheduled to depart LAX at 8:00 PM to Mexico City." Lyle said.

"What if he is moving the safe as a diversion? We crack it, it's empty, the gold is somewhere else." Stella asked.

"Steve's not about to let that gold out of his sight." Susie said tiredly

"It's going to be in that truck, and he is going to be watching it every step of the way from the helicopter." Charlie said tossing a basketball between his hands before taking a shot at the basket.

"So the gold's headed to Mexico." Left Ear said.

"Who knows where? They could change the flight plan in midair." Lyle said.

"Slow down. Slow down," Charlie began, interrupting Lyle. "You guys are looking at this the wrong way. This is good news for us."

"Charlie, what do you mean, 'good news'?" Rob asked as he unwrapped his arm from Susie, waking her up.

"We've been trying to get to the gold in the safe, now the safe is coming to us." Charlie said. "We're going to boost it in transit."

"Charlie, it could take a dozen different routes to the airport. We have no idea which one. We cant take out an armored truck during rush hour," Rob said.

"We're already set up to do it. Napster, gridlock every route except for the one we choose." Charlie said. "Force that truck to go exactly where we want it to go."

"Where do we want it to go? We cant have a shoot-out with armed guards. We'd loose." Rob said as Charlie's cell began to ring.

"We do it like the Italian job." Susie said catching on to his train of thought as Charlie went to answer his phone away from everyone else.

"You told him that?" Charlie said loud enough to catch everyone's attention. "Look I need a favor."

After he hung up, Charlie explained that the Ukrainian Mafia was out to get them, and that he was going to try to cut a deal with the leader. Everyone backed him on the decision.

XXXXX

In the few hours they had left the six of them called in favours from people and places to get things set up. Left began creating a bomb map in the tunnels of the metro rail. Rob and Charlie hired a truck and got Wrench on the team. Susie called a few friends from the Pepsi Cola Corporation and got them a Blue billboard on steel backing. Stella was practicing opening the safe. Lyle was on location in Union Station, setting up the traffic grid.

At 5:00 pm, everyone knew of the new plan. They knew what they had to do according to the plan, and what to do in case of an emergency. Speed sat in the drivers seat of her Mini with Charlie in the passenger seat. Stella was behind them in her own Mini.

"Check positions." Charlie said. "Napster?"

"I'm in position," Napster's voice came through the headsets.

"Handsome Rob?"

"In position. Everything's quite, Charlie." Handsome's voice came through. He and Left Ear were at Steve's house, looking out for the truck.

"Wrench?"

"Set," came his voice. He was above the bomb map with the rented truck and Blue billboards on the sides.

"Charlie, we got an uninvited visitor. Some motorcycle guard following the truck," Handsome informed everyone.

"We'll deal with it."

"Who are these cats?" Left Ear said as two more truck and motorcycle pairs turned into Steve's driveway.

"Whats wrong?" Charlie said.

"Charlie, you wont believe this. He's brought in three armored trucks," Handsome said in disbelief.

"It's a shell game. Shell game now," Left Ear said sitting back in his seat.

"Well, boss, I cant reroute the truck if I don't know which truck to reroute," Napster said.

"Just go with the one Steve follows in the helicopter. Remember, you said he would never let that gold out of his sight." Stella said.

"Unless he is playing us, and he is." Speed said as she gripped the wheel in her hands.

"Here we go. They're pulling out" Handsome said.

"Napster, pull up the traffic cameras you're watching. Where's the first camera the trucks go past?" Charlie asked.

"Vine and Yucca; they're all going to cross there." Napster said.

"See which one is riding low." Charlie said.

After a few minutes of waiting they hear Napster speak into the headset. "Houston, we have our truck. It is number 128." Handsome pulled up behind Stella as the trucks split up. "Okay, guys, truck 128 has turned right heading west."

"Gridlock time." Charlie said.

"They are about to hit a major detour and be sent your way," Napster said as he set it up. The emotions and feelings started to grow as time went on. One could taste the anticipation in the air. The cars began to thicken as Lyle caused a few accidents with the street lights. "Okay I am opening up space on Highland," Napster said, continuing to talk to himself as he worked.

All three drivers were looking in the mirrors to see if the truck had appeared.

"Give us the flag," Charlie said to Napster.

"Metro just passed through the station. You are clear for 90 seconds. Go," he said, and they were off. Speed jumped the curb first and made a hairpin turn right onto the wide sidewalk to part the crowd.

"Come on, Steve." Charlie said as she took the turn down the stairs to the metro station, the others following behind closely.

"30 seconds and counting." Napster reminded them as they drove through the station and saw the train pulling through. "15 seconds, either your blocked in or paint on the train."

"Go, go, go, come on," Left Ear was saying Handsome.

"Stay right on me, this is going to be tight." Speed said as she drove in front of the train. Stella following shortly after and Handsome barely making it, clipping the front corner of the train.

"You're going to stop right there." Lyle said to the train as he stopped it on its tracks, blocking off the tunnel. They drove through the train tunnels underground for a couple of minutes until they got into position. They parked, got out, and opened the trunks to get everything ready.

"OK guys. Coming into position." Wrench said from above ad the truck pulled in closer.

"Stay cool." Napster said. They all got into positions and waited as Wrench counted down from 10.

"Three... Two... one." Left Ear hit the detonation button and the resulting explosion dropped the truck to where they were waiting.

"Damn..." Left Ear said and Speed smiled over to him. Then the steel billboard fell into position, signifying that Wrench was on his way to the station to ready the car. Handsome shot a chemical grenade into the truck gassing the drivers. Charlie, Left Ear, and Speed pried open the back doors, as Stella got ready at the trunk of her car.

"We have another problem guys," Stella said after she turned around. "This isn't the Worthington 1000." They all looked at the truck. "He switched safes on us."

"Can you do it?" Charlie asked her.

"It's Israeli made. Its got a glass re-lock system. There is a pane of glass right here behind this door. And if I don't drill perfectly through that hole, steel rods snap into place and you cant open the safe. And then we're up shit creek," Stella said. Speed stood over by the cars with Left Ear and Handsome. There was nothing to be done until the safe was opened.

Stella began drilling through the safe, the rest of them behind her waiting anxiously. After a few minutes there was the sound of cracking glass. "I think I just cracked the glass," Stella said surprised. "I don't think it broke though. I cant drill it again. I have to do it by touch," Stella said pulling away from the drill.

Now the adrenaline and anxiety were mixing together. They all stood there in silence letting her concentrate. Left Ear and Handsome were pacing making Speed nervous. After her moment of doubt she continued to work on the safe. Time was wasting away and they all could feel it slipping through their fingers.


	10. Chapter 10

Then Stella turned the handle to open the safe and it opened freely. "Slide." Charlie ordered to the other three and they all pulled out the vinyl slide and attached it to the trunks of the Minis.

"Hey, don't you want to see whats inside," Charlie asked Stella as she stepped away to breath.

"Absolutely," she said turning around to put her headset back in her ear.

"Napster," Charlie said to Napster.

"Ya?" Napster answered.

"13 across, four high, four deep." Charlie said as he and Handsome slid the bricks to Speed and Left Ear at the cars below.

"That's, uh, 208 bricks."

"How much?"

"2.7 million," Napster said after doing the calculations in his head.

"What?" Speed exclaimed, almost dropping a brick.

"Uh no its 27. That's 27 Million! That's 27 million dollars worth of gold." Napster happily corrected himself. The five of them quickly filled up their gold carriers that Speed and Wrench had built into the trunks of the Minis.

"YEAH!" Lyle yelled through the station. "Got the... Holy Spirit. You should get on it. It's a good train," he said covering up. The others laughed at him as they piled the bricks into the cars. Soon the safe was empty and they got into their cars and sped off.

"What do you think John?" Charlie said out loud as Speed raced down a storm drain entrance. She stopped in front of a gate and parked so Charlie could open it up.

"27 million." Handsome said.

"Say it again." Left Ear said.

"27 million."

"Say it again."

"27 million!"

Stella and Speed laughed in their cars as Charlie was unlocking the gate. After Charlie jumped back into Speed's passenger seat they sped through the drain tunnels.

"Two motorcycles on us, Charlie." Handsome said. We looked in our mirrors sure enough we did. One of the motorcyclists started shooting.

"Shit!" Handsome yelped before he knocked them over.

" Handsome, at the end of the tunnels turn around," Speed said over her revving engine. "Here we go!" She said as they were coming up to the drain mouth. She sped out first and nearly flipped over end with as fast as she was going.

"Come on guys we're moving." Speed said to Handsome who had made Left ear open his door and knock off the last motorcyclist.

Soon a helicopter appeared from behind them. Steve had found them. They drove over the storm drain walls and entered a golf field. "Rob, you okay," Stella asked quickly looking back at him.

"I'm hit."

"Stop once you reach tree cover. Left Ear run up to Stella. Handsome, scoot over. Charlie, you're driving mine," Speed said quickly before she parked and ran out. They all switched positions and Charlie led the way onto the streets. They drove in and out of traffic with all green lights.

"I'm gonna take Steve. You guys go straight to Union Station. I'll meet you there." Charlie said as he took a right and the others kept going straight.

"Okay Charlie, I'm opening up a spot on lower Grand." Napster said to Charlie. "Take your next left."

They wove through traffic and until they hit Union Station. They drove through the gravel and over tracks until they arrived at their cargo car, where Wrench was waiting to guide the Minis onto the train.

They parked the cars inside waited for Charlie. As they were waiting, Susie took Rob's jacket off of him to inspect his arm. "It's a through and through," she concluded after poking at it. "You'll be okay. Wrap it light if it's under a jacket, tight if it's not, and you won't bleed to death."

After Charlie arrived and parked in the car, he got out and instantly said. "Steve's probably right behind me. Wrench, if he shows up, reluctantly do as he says."

The group walked out of the train car and down the platform; Rob was pulling one of the half cases that was in his car. They double backed around to the other side of the train car and went back in through the open door on the other side of the car. Charlie appeared when Steve turned to walk inside.

"I got to hand it to you Steve. You actually played this one pretty smart. Decoy trucks... you switched safes. The helicopter routine. I mean that was pretty damn good. But now I've got the gold- and you, you've got nothing." Charlie said smartly.

"I got this," Steve said pulling out a gun, incidentally, the same gun he had pulled last time. "So cut the crap and give me my goddamn gold!"

A gun behind Steve drew back to be armed and ready to shoot. The Ukrainians had arrived. Steve held his hands up in surrender and they took his gun.

"Who the hell are you?" Steve asked one of the Ukrainians who stood next to Charlie now.

"I am Mashkov... and you killed my cousin Yevhen," he said not so nicely.

"Got to have some insurance, Steve." Charlie said as he shrugged. The others stepped out from behind the door and stood by Charlie, who was smiling with arms folded in front of him.. Stella went and stood by Charlie.

"Yevhen was already dead when I got there. I'm sorry about that, but Yevhen dealt with a lot of unsavory people. Now, this guy is trying to play you. " Steve said to Mashkov.

"You were right" Mashkov said toCharlie. "No imagination."

"There's a lot of gold in there. We're the only ones with guns. I'll make you a good deal." Steve said. Rob handed the case to Charlie and Charlie handed it to Mashkov.

"I've already made my deal." Mashkov said looking down at the case.

Stella moved to stand infront of Steve. "What do you want?" Steve asked her.

"You know this was never about the gold," she said to him.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night sweetheart." he said to her snidely. She her hand collided with his face as soon as he was finished talking, and the Ukrainians took him away.

"Bitch. Charlie! Come on, Charlie!" he pleaded.

Charlie hugged Stella and the group walked back down the platform until we reached their private car. Charlie opened a bottle of champagne as the others stood around each other, talking about the heist.

"Guys, I want to make a toast." Charlie said coming over with the last two champagne glasses for Stella and himself. "To John Bridger, the most brilliant master planner of all. Father and friend."

"To my dad." Stella said they all clinked the glasses together and drank.

XXXXX

A/n: Ok, this next part is way bad and i wouldnt have put it up if my friend hadnt begged me to do so. Here it is.

XXXXX

"New Orleans, and then retirement at last," Susie said that night as the celebrations started to calm down.

"Are you going back to London right away?" Stella was sitting beside her with a drink in her hand.

"By the time I get home, Amanda will be back from Russia. I wanna spend some time with her." She sighed. "I haven't done that since she was two."

"What about Rob?"

"What about him?"

"Do you really not know," Charlie said sitting down on Stella's other side. "After the Italian Job, he was going to ask you to marry him."

"What?" Susie nearly choked on her drink. "That doesn't sound like Robert."

"Yeah, he told me the night before the heist in Venice."

"The one where you got extremely drunk and I had to haul your ass to bed?"

"Before we got drunk," Charlie shrugged.

"Right, I'm going to bed." Susie stood and made her way to the undercar where her room was.

"Susan." Rob appeared in front of her as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh! Hello, Rob." Susan put her hand to her hart to calm it down. "You scared me for a moment there."

Rob pulled her hand from her chest and held it gently in his hands. "I want to talk to you." Susie tried to take a step away, but he pulled her closer. "Please, Susan."

"Okay"

Rob pulled her into his room. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you for over a year now." He pulled a small box from his back pocket. "I asked Amanda to help me pick it out." Susie's breath caught in her throat as he went down on one knee and opened the box. "Marry me, Susan."

"Oh, God." She sat down on his bed in shock. "Robert..."

"I'm tired of all the women, Sue. I want you for the rest of my life. I love you."

Susie stared at him a moment before she slid off the edge of the bed and kissed him. "Yes."

Rob pulled them up and placed the simple silver band and small diamond on her finger. "Amanda is going to be very happy."

Susie chuckled and held him tight. "She's going to be ecstatic, what are you talking about."

Rob pulled her face up from his shoulder. "She's going to want a sibling."

X Two Years Later X

"Mommy!" A blond haired, blue eyed replica of herself clung to her leg as she opened the door of their flat.

"I was only gone thirty minuets, Amanda," Susie said, balancing her bag of groceries around her swollen stomach to look down at the seven year old.

"But I missed you."

"Amanda, let go of your mothers leg so she can come in." Rob walked out of the kitchen to greet his wife with a kiss. "Hello, darling."

"Hello," she smiled back at him and passed him the bag. "Here, take this. He's kicking my blader."

"We're almost done, mommy," Amanda said as she followed Rob back into the kitchen.

"Go finish then." Sue waddled to the washroom, did her business, and waddled back to the kitchen.

"No, mommy! You go sit on the couch!"

"Ok, ok, ok, I'm going. I'm going," Susie said going back to the couch and sat down to wait.

Rob walked in first and sat a breakfast tray over her. "Amanda will be in in a minute."

"Is it delicious?"

"Yours is covered in chocolate and pickles," Rob said disgustedly. "I don't know if that counts as delicious."

"Oh, that sounds very nummy," Susie said honestly as Amanda came out holding a bowl.

She placed it on the tray. "Mac 'n' Cheese with meatballs and pickles and chocolate sauce on top."

"Oh, it looks nummy, too." Susie took a bite and groaned in satisfaction. "It is!"

"Ha ha! I told you she'd like it, Robert!" Amanda ran back into the kitchen and brought back two more bowls for her and Rob as he went to get drinks.

The three of them ate on the couch watching a movie. Half an hour after they were finished, Susie felt a pull around her stomach. She discreetly moved Robs' hand over the swell of her stomach and waited for the next pull.

When it pulled Rob looked to her. "Do we need to go?"

"Not until my water breaks," she said quietly. "It might be a while, but I wanted to let you know now."

Later that night Rob and Susie laid in their bed, his head hovering over her womb, talking to the baby quietly. They had wanted to be surprised as to the gender, but both were convinced it was a boy.

Susie cried out as the pull became a full on contraction and her water broke all over the bedclothes. Rob moved quickly and woke Amanda up before returning to the room and picked Susie up in his arms and moved her out the door, Amanda close behind them with the baby bag and their coats.

Susie was in labor for eight hours before she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Exhausted, covered in sweat and tears, she still was the most beautiful woman in the world to Rob as she handed him their son. Amanda snuggled up to Susie and Rob sat on her other side.

"John." Susie spoke quietly to Rob.

"John."

Susie nodded before falling asleep with Amanda next to her. Rob looked over his family. "I am the luckiest man in the world."

Fin


End file.
